Sunday, January 27, 2008

You can keep stress from getting the best of you

Stress is a part of life! Some stress (even a little) is good because it can spur you on to take action and achieve great things. But too much stress can actually threaten your health and well being, resulting in depression, anxiety, and memory loss. Stretching can be therapeutic for many people as one way to relieve stress. (You may already have an entire arsenal of things you do to relieve stress.) Of course, stretching can help individual muscles release and relax, but the deep, regular breathing that’s so important to effective stretching can also oxygenate your blood and reduce overall stress and anxiety. What’s more, the slow, meticulous movements in a good flexibility program can provide a meditative effect. And focusing intensely on the muscles you’re stretching can help clear your mind of distractions. In the end, stretching can help make you more flexible, inside and out.

No comments: